Malmö Moderates open to SD cooperation
The Malmö branch of the Moderate party has not ruled out cooperating with the far-right Sweden Democrat (SD) party after next year's general election, writes local newspaper Sydvenska Dagbladet.
"We in Skåne are more prepared to negotiate with the Sweden Democrats than the national party," Moderate Member of Parliament Staffan Appelros told the newspaper.
Appelros argued that the party has a responsibility to its voters to work to ensure that the Moderates can reclaim power in Malmö.
Local Moderate politicians in Malmö, Anja Sonesson and Stefan Lindhe, meanwhile reject the idea of a formal partnership with the Sweden Democrats.
The Moderate municipal council group has however agreed to not automatically vote against Sweden Democrat proposals. This could include motions previously presented by the Moderates themselves.
The main centre-right parties categorically ruled out any possibility of cooperating with the Sweden Democrats in October in response to an opinion article in the Aftonbladet newspaper where Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson classified Islam as the biggest threat to Sweden since World War II.
"It would be impossible to work with such a party," prime minister and Moderate party leader Fredrik Reinfeldt said at the time, echoing a statement by Liberal party leader Jan Björklund.
The article also caused several members of the Sweden Democrats to resign their membership from the party and Åkesson has since been reported for alleged hate speech.
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"We in Skåne are more prepared to negotiate with the Sweden Democrats than the national party," Moderate Member of Parliament Staffan Appelros told the newspaper.
Appelros argued that the party has a responsibility to its voters to work to ensure that the Moderates can reclaim power in Malmö.
Local Moderate politicians in Malmö, Anja Sonesson and Stefan Lindhe, meanwhile reject the idea of a formal partnership with the Sweden Democrats.
The Moderate municipal council group has however agreed to not automatically vote against Sweden Democrat proposals. This could include motions previously presented by the Moderates themselves.
The main centre-right parties categorically ruled out any possibility of cooperating with the Sweden Democrats in October in response to an opinion article in the Aftonbladet newspaper where Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson classified Islam as the biggest threat to Sweden since World War II.
"It would be impossible to work with such a party," prime minister and Moderate party leader Fredrik Reinfeldt said at the time, echoing a statement by Liberal party leader Jan Björklund.
The article also caused several members of the Sweden Democrats to resign their membership from the party and Åkesson has since been reported for alleged hate speech.
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